Physical Description

Summary

The Connon family were resident in Elora, Ontario in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. They operated a general store and a photographic studio. John R. Connon (1862-1931) was a professional photographer and inventor of photographic equipment active in Elora, Ontario in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Connon family fonds consists primarily of photographs, although some textual records also exist. Both photographic and textual records relate to the work of Thomas Connon and John R. Connon, as well as to the history of Elora. Among the photographic formats are collodion and gelatin glass negatives and stereograph negatives, tintypes, albumen and early gelatin prints (on cabinet cards). Included in this fonds are some of Thomas Connon's earliest negatives which are probably the oldest glass negatives in the Archives' holdings. The photos contain the work of both Thomas and John R. Connon in roughly equal portions. One photograph was taken by Thomas' wife Jean (an 1862 view of the Elora Volunteer Rifles) and a few prints may have been taken by other photographers. Thomas Connon was the artist of the original oil painting of his in-laws' (The Keith Family) ancestral home in Scotland. John R. Connon appears to have created many of the lantern slides and enlargements from some of his father's original negatives. The subject matter of the fonds documents the early history of Elora, Ontario, including buildings, the surrounding landscape, village life and prominent residents. There are views of the mill, the Elora Falls, the Grand River and the Elora Gorge, shop fronts, churches, bridges and events. There are numerous portraits of people connected to Elora's history and to the Connon family. The textual material includes correspondence, patents, clippings, a notebook and financial records of the Connon family. Most relate to the career of John R. Connon. Among them are sketches for the design of the panoramic camera, correspondence with George Eastman and files related to his work on Elora local history. Fonds is arranged by format; unit groupings within each format are by subject. Units are arranged alphabetically by title.